By Ralph Sesay
National Grand Coalition Leader Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella has appreciated the nomination of a new Chief Justice and called on him to uphold the constitution of Sierra Leone.
He emphasized the obligation to see that the rights of all Sierra Leoneans are respected and protected at all times while particularly encouraging him to ensure that the Judicary is subjected to the 1991 Constitution or any other law devoid of control or direction from any other person or authority.
The newly appointed Chief Justice who had faced the lawmakers on Friday was unanimously approved as the twenty third report of its committee on appointments and the Public Service had endorsed the new Chief Justice, Babatunde Edwards alongside two other Presidential nominees in their designated positions.
Speaker of the House Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu commended the President for nominating a highly qualified judge as Chief Justice to preside over the judiciary of Sierra Leone.He congratulated all three (3) nominees and wished them well in pursuit of their new assignments.
The New Chief Justice was approved together with Dr. Morie Kalilu Kormoh-Member Board of Directors, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),and Mrs. Madiana Nyanda Samba Member NATCOM Board.
The appointment of Babatunde Edwards on Wednesday as the new Chief Justice after Abdulla Hamid Charm resigned was met with mixed feelings as many believed that the latter was asked to resign his position by the Bio government due to several reasons allegedly relating to political interference into the functions of the Judiciary which he had resisted.
The endorsement of the new CJ by Dr. Kandeh Yumkella came as a surprise to many especially so when members of the majority party in Parliament the All Peoples Congress had criticized the appointment.